Seven local wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals of their respective weight bracket at the Central Coast Section Championships on Friday at Independence High in San Jose.
Monte Vista Christian’s Amit Klair (106 pounds), Christian Cabuag (113), Mateo Montoya (120), Eddie Zamora (126) and Amman Klair (138), and Aptos High’s Keegan Dutton-Jones (182) and Justin Torres (285) will all still be in contention for a section crown when the wrestling picks back up today at 10 a.m. back at Independence High.
Championships matches are set for 7 p.m.
Given the No. 2 seed in his division in the days leading up to Friday’s preliminary rounds, Cabaug lived up to the hype by coasting into the quarters with a pin and another win by technical fall.
Montoya, Amman Klair and Dutton-Jones — all seeded 4th in their respective divisions earlier in the week — also lived up to their rank.
Montoya scored a pair of pins.
Dutton-Jones had a bye in Round 1 and recorded a pin in the second to advance.
Klair won his first match by major decision, but had to battle in the second. He edged Overfelt High’s Eddie Fernandez via a 9-3 decision.
Watsonville High senior Abel Pena had plans of defending his CCS title at 120 pounds, but missed weight at the beginning of the morning, disqualifying him from competing.
Pena was the No. 2 seed at 120 pounds heading into Friday.
Several other local wrestlers are still alive in the consolation bracket.
